Seconds and Consquences
by Axle007
Summary: After Summer, died Ruby became disillusioned at seeing the state her father was in leading to her moving in and growing up with Glynda. Fast forward to first year and wanting to prove to herself, Glynda and everyone else she could handle the responsibility she volunteers team RWBY for what should have been a simple mission.


…Ruby:

Pain coursed through her every limb right down to each of her cells and Ruby's world was a blur of flashing lights above her as she felt herself being shaken; her eyes refused to focus no matter how hard she tried. She could just about make out the blurry outlines of figures standing over her but if they were trying to talk to her she couldn't hear them because someone was screaming, it confused Ruby how it never seemed to stop as if the person's lungs were bottomless. Whatever she was on hit something and the bump sent another flash of pain through her from top to bottom and the screaming got louder.

Ruby remembered the last place she was. Her team were clearing out a nest of Grimm that had taken up home in the Emerald Forest, Blake and Yang had made their way into the cave to clear it out as Ruby and Weiss secured the entrance from a seemingly endless horde. It felt as if her and Weiss were in perfect sync wiping out the Grimm but Ruby couldn't remember exactly what happened, just that Weiss got knocked down causing her aura to fail and using all the strength she had left in her semblance and in a split second she rushed between her and the King Taijitu which was preparing to sink its fangs into her partner.

The thought that Weiss was injured or even worse the cause of the screaming fuelled Ruby into action Ruby started to scream Weiss' name as she jerked her head side to side but all she could see were the blurry figures surrounding her .She reached out with her right arm attempting to grab the person to her side but when her hand made contact with them the pain that flared down her arm was so great that it caused her to gurgle her words into a scream, in an instant the person she had touched brought Ruby's arm to her side before she felt something being placed over her face. The lights that Ruby was looking up to became even more blurry before darkness consumed her.

…Weiss:

Nothing quite struck Weiss to her core than the way how that screaming pierced through everything. She rushed behind Ruby who was placed on a stretcher surrounded by doctors and nurses, her exhaustion started to catch up with her as the professionals that surrounded Ruby rushed through doors that a nurse failed to open one in time causing the stretcher to slam one door open and causing Ruby's screaming to get louder. It saddened her how it seemed that Ruby was fighting the doctors clearly unaware of where she was but if the scream struck her to the core then what she heard next shattered her. Ruby started to scream her name, the worry her partner still had for her even in her condition felt like a betrayal to Weiss as it was her fault that Ruby was injured.

Eventually the rest of team RWBY were stopped by a nurse when they reached a set of doors, Weiss' eyes were so locked on Ruby she failed to realize where she was. Looking up at the sign above the doors she read them _Surgery Authorised Personal only_ with some sort of comfort that they were finally here, the nurse directed them to a door next to it however as Weiss watched the nurse's lips move she didn't hear what came out. Turning to Blake and Yang they nodded to her and the three of them opened the door finding themselves at the bottom of a small se of stairs they almost jumped up them before coming to a final door.

Pushing it open Weiss took a deep breath as she realized where she was. The floor for the first half was metal but became glass blocked by a railing that stretched up to glass walls that enabled a top down view of the operating theatre. Weiss jogged the final distance to the railing and collapsed into a heap as she looked down at her now unconscious partner and team leader, Weiss though collapsed onto her knees reached up with both hands to the railing as if it was the only thing grounding her here. Yang stood next to Weiss and placed a comforting hand on her right hand which seemed to grasp the railing so hard her knuckles turned white. Weiss attempted deep breaths to contain her tears but they quickly descended into heavy sobbing as tears still broke though.

It was all her fault; Ruby being injured was due to her own stupidity and her own mismanagement. Ruby, Yang and Blake are going to hate her for what she has done. As Weiss failed to keep the tears at bay she started to repeat the same two words over and over.

"I'm Sorry!" the strain of the day was evident in her voice as the usually well held together Weiss collapsed into a heap of emotions. However, instead of being met with the anger of Yang she was shocked as Yang got down behind her and wrapped her arms around Weiss and spoke over her.

"This isn't your fault Weiss." Weiss could hear the way how Yang's voice shuddered as she spoke displaying the immense strain she was under in keeping herself together.

Blake supported Yang in this gesture by sitting next to Weiss and leaning her head on Weiss' shoulder. "Ruby wouldn't want you to blame yourself."

"You heard the way she screamed my name. What if it is because she hates me?" Weiss struggled out her sentence as her attempts to stop herself from crying continued to fail.

Yang laughed at that. "Ruby definitely doesn't blame you and I can guarantee she doesn't hate you."

The three of them stayed grouped together as they watched as the people below them worked to save their leader. The only sign that anytime was passing became the sole focus for the 3 huntresses, as the room lacked a clock their ears became locked onto the beep from Ruby's heart monitor as every beep no matter how slow or fast it meant that Ruby was still alive.

The door behind them swung open, followed by the clicking of heels however none of them three moved and opted to remain slumped together watching into the ongoing surgery. Weiss could guess who it was but was to scared to look, believing that they would almost certainly blame her. She heard them place their hands on the railing leaning forward slightly and sighing in relief.

"What happened?" Glynda spoke sharply as she looked down at Ruby lying on the table after finding out what happened she rushed over. Glynda struggled to keep her emotions in check and the way how she spoke was harsher than intended but looking at Ruby led to a feeling that she had failed in looking after her, failed as an adoptive mother.

Her hands tightened on the railing as the 3 remained silent too transfixed on what was occurring below them, Glynda moved her hands in a circular motion as if trying to bend the railing in an attempt to let out some of her conflicting emotions, she felt angry at seeing Ruby like this, felt like a failure as a carer, felt helpless as she couldn't do anything to help.

Glynda's voice became increasingly strained as she spoke again. "What happened? And if I have to ask again the Grimm will be the least of your worries."

Yang lifted her head slightly from looking down to staring straight ahead, seeing everyone's slight reflection in the windows. "Me and Blake went into the cave to clear out the nest and Weiss with Ruby were holding the entrance." Yang could feel her eyes turning read as she spoke from her recalling what had happened but also in reaction to how Glynda had spoken, she never saw eye to eye with Glynda about taking Ruby but respected that Ruby was happy. As Yang was about to continue Weiss started to speak before her.

"It's all my fault." The words trembled out of Weiss as she struggled to hold back any more tears. She was surprised however as Glynda merely started to laugh, causing the three girls to turn and look up at her in confusion and Glynda looked down at Weiss, her eyes instead of holding anger and contempt for Weiss as she expected just seemed sad.

"Ms. Schnee unless you were the Grimm that did this I fail to see how it is."

Weiss looked visibly perplexed at the statement. "She was protecting me, I got knocked down and she jumped between me and the Grimm."

Glynda straightened out and looked back down at Ruby. "So she was protecting her partner, as is her job both as your partner and as team leader. Trust me when I say this, I would be much more furious if it was you lying on that table and Ruby did nothing."

The four settled into silence as the surgery carried on and each second felt like an eternity. The silence was broken when Glynda's scroll rang out, she reached into her pocket and swiped reading the message leading to her sighing in frustration.

"If you girls excuse me I have to speak to some rather incompetent hospital staff." Glynda spun around on her heels walking towards the door, however as she opened it she stopped and turned her head back to the rest of team RWBY. "Oh and Weiss, if she doesn't make it, your father will be the least of your worries." Glynda turned her head back and walked through the door, leaving a slightly more terrified Weiss.

This time it was Blake's turn to talk as she placed her hand on Weiss' knee to comfort her before turning and looking at Weiss. "Don't worry about Goodwitch, she is just hurting. We've got your back." Weiss smiled and nodded in thanks.

Time again blurred into one until the surgeons signalled for some nurses to come in causing the three to wonder what was happening. They stood up in concern as the doctors and nurses cleared up the room before wheeling Ruby out, leading to the three to rush downstairs just missing Ruby who was wheeled past another set of doors however before they could follow a doctor stopped them.

"You must be her team." The three nodded and he continued. "It was touch and go and she's lost a lot of blood but we expect her to make a full recovery. Her right arm was almost shattered so she will be stuck in a brace for some time and whatever Grimm attacked her used some sort of poison which was certainly making things worse…"

"Can we see her?" As the doctor paused to take a breath Weiss cut him off from continuing. Rather than showing annoyance he smiled slightly before stepping aside and pointing in a direction.

"The desk can tell you where she is going but I wouldn't expect her to be awake until morning at the earliest. And please try to keep her calm, we don't want to risk her injuring herself."

The three thanked the doctor before running towards the front desk and after some short questions dashed to the room that held their leader. When they reached her room Weiss was the first to reach it and as she put her up to open it she froze however before she fell further into herself Blake and Yang placed a hand on her shoulders giving her the confidence to walk through together.

Walking in it seemed like a normal hospital patient room except that for them it was the most important room in the world. Ruby was lying in the bed hooked up to the machines that were monitoring her and keeping her alive while Glynda had already pulled up a chair and was to the left of Ruby with her hand wrapped around Ruby's left hand. Turning her head as they entered she smiled slightly as if she was waiting for them to show up.

"Well, I assume you three aren't going anywhere either."

… The morning after, Ruby:

Ruby felt as if she was in paradise, she was floating in nothingness, no pain, no worries. There was something however nagging at her, it started subtle like a small pebbled being dropped into the nothingness she was floating in. it happened again and again and again, continuously until the pebbles became boulders that were ringing out with every impact. The ringing turned into a beep that pounded through her skull quickly turning her paradise into a hellish chamber of sound which reverberated through her body. As the sound pounded her head the pain started to shoot through her body causing it to feel as though she was spinning with no sense of up. Taking deep breaths Ruby started to hyperventilate until she was suddenly awake being pulled out of wherever she was into a blinding light and a constant beeping.

As her eyes focused Ruby realized she was surrounded by a sleeping Weiss and an equally asleep Glynda, Weiss to her right had her head leant against her right hand which we perched up by the arm rest while Glynda to her left had her head on the bed and Ruby could feel it leaning against her free hand. Across the room from her Blake and Yang were sleeping on a sofa. Ruby looked at her right arm which was trapped in a metal brace and realized she was essentially trapped in the bed as the combination of the brace and two that surrounded her prevented her from moving. Resting her head back onto the pillow she let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and stared at the heart monitor beside her which continued its monotone beeping, measuring Ruby's heart.


End file.
